Firefighters Battle Blaze at Rubber Processor
At least a thousand tonnes of rubber was destroyed in a blaze at the premises of Northamptonshire waste rubber processor World Rubber. The fire began at about 4am on Saturday April 21, and fire crews were summoned from neighbouring Bedfordshire to provide assistance. Smoke from the scene, which rose to a height of about 4,000 feet, could be seen up to 15 miles away.
Although approximately £100,000 of finished product was destroyed in the fire, plant owner Nick Mason believes fire contingency plans the company had previously implemented prevented a much worse outcome. In 2005 another fire at the facility burned for nearly two weeks, causing around two million pounds’ damage. In the wake of this previous fire the company worked with the fire service by creating wide firebreaks and watercourses, as well as keeping them updated regarding the location of machinery and hazardous materials.
Information regarding the cause of the fire has not yet been released by the fire service. Mr Mason said he hoped the Rushden based facility, which granulates tyres to make products such as safety surfaces for children’s playgrounds, would resume operation on April 23.
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